3. Pair work. Put these questions to your groupmate and ask him/her to answer them:

1. On what sites are hydroelectric power plants built?

2. Are large-capacity plants located far from consumers of power?

3. Is the production process at the plants simple or is it complex?

4. What influences the power capacity of a plant?

5. According to what factors does the daily inflow of water fluctuate?

6. Does the production process at the plant depend on its construction?

7. Do you know that a thermal power plant seldom has an efficiency more than 40%?

4. Put down the Russian equivalents of these word combinations. Then translate them back into English.

runner blade

turbine runner

turbine shaft

water level

water head

large capacity power plant

magnitude of the water head

daily inflow of water

turbine runner shaft

Text 13. Atomic power plant

1. Translate the text into Russian.

Atomic power plants are modern installations. They consist of sev­eral main units and a great number of auxiliary ones.

In a nuclear reactor uranium is utilized as a fuel. During operation process powerful heat and radioactive radiation are produced. The nu­clear reactor is cooled by water circulation. Cooling water circulates through a system of tubes, in which the water is heated to a temperature of 250-300°C. In order to prevent boiling of water, it passes into the re­actor at a pressure up to 150 atmospheres.

A steam generator includes a series of heat exchangers comprising tubes. The water heated in the reactor is delivered into the heat ex­changer tubes. The water to be converted into steam flows outside these tubes. The steam produced is fed into the turbogenerator.

Besides, an atomic power plant comprises a common turbogenera­tor, a steam condenser with circulating water and a switchboard.

Atomic power plants have their advantages as well as disadvantages. The reactors and steam generators operate in them noiselessly; the at­mosphere is not polluted by dust and smoke. As to the fuel consump­tion, it is of no special importance and there is no problem of fuel transportation.

The disadvantage of power plants utilizing nuclear fuel is their ra­diation. Radioactive radiation produced in the reactors is dangerous for attending personnel. Therefore, the reactors and steam generators are installed underground. They are also shielded by thick (up to 1.5 m) concrete walls. All their controls are operated by means of automatic devices. These measures serve to protect people from radioactive ra­diation.

2. Complete the sentences using the correct variant:

1. A nuclear reactor is used in a) wind-power plants.

b) atomic power plants.

2. A nuclear reactor is cooled by a) water circulating in tubes.

b) oil circulating in tubes.

3. Water is passed into the reactor a) at a low pressure.

b) at a high pressure.

4. High pressure a) activates boiling of water.

b) prevents boiling of water.

5. Atomic power plants a) pollute the air with dust and smoke.

b) do not pollute the air with dust and smoke.

6. Circulating water flows a) inside the heat exchangers.

b) outside the heat exchangers.

7. Attending personnel is a) thick concrete walls.

shielded by b) thick metal walls.